Pneumatic conveyer.



. Nu. 669,49l. Patented mar. 5, lem.

' M. J. Foven.

PNEUMATIC CONVEYER.

. (Application le'd July 5, 1900.) (No-Model.) 3 Sheets-Sham 2.

MMT. .7 Z i J/ J@ 1 lllllllllllll// aP/Wfm weg/1' No. sam-49|.

Patented Mar. 5, IQUI.

M. .1. FoYEn. PNEu'mATlc conviven.

(App onld uly 3 Sheets-Sh'e-at 3.

(No Model.)

d Miren TATES MELVIN J. FOYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,491, dated March 5,1901.

Application filed July 5. 1900. Serial No. 22,495. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELvIN J. FOYER, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have in vented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pneumatic Conveyors; and Ido hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic conveying apparatusfor use in stores or similar places `for conveying cashcarriers betweena central cashiers desk and an outlying` salesmans station. Theapparatus may be used, however, for conveying parcels of any descriptionor for other similar purposes.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of theseveral features of my invention, embracing a single outgoing ordistributing tube and a single return-tube extending between a cashiersstation and an outlying salesmans station, together with anair-compressor or blower and a motor for operating the same, it beingunderstood that in a system embracing a number of outlying or salesmensstations a plurality of sets of such distributing and return tubes willbe used.

In the said drawings, Figure lis a view,dia grammatic in its nature,showing a central or cashiers station, a single outlying or salesmansstation, tubes connecting the same, an air-compressor, and a motortherefor. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the despatching devicesat the salesmans station. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, showing amodified construction of the parts at the despatching end of thereturn-tube. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the parts shown in Fig. 3 at thedespatching end of the return-tube. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views ofparts shown in Fig. 4:.

`As shown in said drawings, A indicates the cashiers station, and B asalesmans station.

C indicates a conveyingtube extending from the cashiers station to thesalesmans station for the transmission of carriers from the cashiersstation to the salesmans station. In a system having a number ofoutlying stations the tube C will be one of several tubes by whichcarriers will be transmitted to such outlying stations from the cashiersstation,

and said tube will therefore be herein called the distributing-tube.

D indicates a conveying-tube for the transmission of carriers from theoutlying or salesinans station B to the cashiers station A and will beherein called the return-tube.77 At the outlying or salesmans station Bthe tubes C and D are connected by means of a tube E. At the cashiersstation an exhaust-tube F is connected with the return-tube l) at apoint near the delivery end of said tube. Said exhaust-pipe F isconnected with a main suction-pipe F', which communicates with thesuction or low-pressure side of a rotary blower G. Said blower isprovided with an exhaustopening G and is driven by means of a motor H,herein shown as having the form of a steam-engine.

At the cashiers station A the distributingtube is provided with an opendespatching end C and the return-tube with adown wardlydirecteddischarge end D', beneath which is shown the usual receptacle D2 forcarriers. An outwardly-opening iiap-valve d is located in saidreturn-tube between the exhaust-tube F and the end of the tube, saidflap-valve being adapted to permit the outward passage of the carrierspast the same While preventing influx of air, as is common in similarsituations in other systems. At the salesmans station thedistributing-tube C is provided with a downwardly-directed discharge endC2, beneath which is placed a receptacle C3 for carriers, and with anoutwardly-opening nap-valve c. At said salesmans station the return-tubeis provided at its despatching end with devices, hereinafter described,to which myinvention more particularly relates.

The transmission of carriers from the cashiers station to the outlyingsalesmans station and also the return thereof from the salesmans stationto the cashiers station is ef fected solely by the suction from thereturnpipe D at the cashiers station, and devices are provided at thesalesmans station for controlling the iiow of air through the conveyerpipes, the saine being shown more clearly in Fig. 2 and beingconstructed as follows: The despatching end of the tube D at thesalesmans station is provided with a hinged door l and also with a valveJ, the connecting-pipe E being arranged to commu- IOO nicate with thesaid tube D between the said door I and valve J. The valve J has ahinged valve-closure J', pivoted in a valve-casing D, which isconstructed with a recess at one side of the tube, so that when the saidvalve J is open a free passage will be afforded for the carriers pastsaid valve-closure. The valveclosure J' is constructed to fit upon aseatj, formed in the casing D2. Said tube D is also provided adjacent tothe valve J with an open-ended branch tube D3, containing a piston K.The piston K is provided with a stem or rod K', provided with alaterally-projecting arm It, which engages a rocking arm o1' leverj,which is rigidly connected with the valve-closure J', said leverj' beingattached tothe end ot' a rock-shaftjz, which extends through the sidesof the valve-casing Da and to which the valve-closure is rigid lyattached. The door I is connected by a pvot z' to a bracket on one sideof the tube D, and said door is provided with an arm I', extendingoutside of its pivot, which arm is connected with a vertically-slidingrod L by means of a connecting-bar l, which is pivoted to the arm I' andto the said rod L. The rod L is arranged in alinement, or nearly so,with the piston-rod and is connected therewith by a sliding connection,affording limited movement of the rod L with respect to the rod K'. Asherein shown, such connection consists of a longitudinal slot Z' in therod L and a stud 7c on the piston-rod, which passes through and slidesin said slot.

M indicates a receptacle or basket in which the carriers are placed bythe salesmen after their return from the cashiers station and in whichall of the carriers used by the salesmenare kept When not in use. Saidbasket or receptacle is supported by means affording vertical movementtherein, and it is connected with the piston K and valve J in suchmanner that when the receptacle is depressed by the weight of a carrieror carriers therein the piston will be forced inwardly in the branchtube D3 and said valve will be closed. As herein shown, the basket orreceptacle is attached to the upper end of a vertically-arranged slidingrod M', which is supported in guides ml m, and the connection betweenthe said rod M' and the piston and valve is afforded by means of arocking lever N, pivoted between its ends on a fulcrum-pivot fn .andengaged at one end with a pin fm' in the said rod M and at its oppositeend with a pin 71:2, which projects from the side of the pistonrod K'.

The purpose of the piston K is to counterbalance the pressure of airupon the valveclosure J when the valve is closed, and for this purposethe area of the piston is made the same as that of the valve. Saidvalve-cloure J' and piston K, connected so as to move together, asdescribed, constitute, in eiect, a balanced valve, and so far as thegeneral results obtained are concerned any other form of balanced valvemay be used in place of such closure and piston. When the valve isclosed, influx of air to the tube D will be prevented, and a partialvacuum will be maintained in the said tube D by the action of theblower. The valve will be held in its normal or closed position, asdescribed, by the weight of a carrier or carriers deposited in thereceptacle M, the weight of said carriers obviously tending to depressthe receptacle, and vthereby lift the piston-rod K', with the resu-lt ofholding the valve closed and the piston in its outward position. Theweight of the piston K and connected parts bears -such relation to theweight of the receptacle M that said receptacle will be retained in itselevated position except when all of the carriers used at such stationare within the receptacle. If one carrier only be used, the receptacle Mwill remain elevated at all times except when depressed by the weight ofsuch carrier. If several be used, the receptacle will remain elevatedwhen any number of carriers less than the total number with which thesalesman is furnished are therein. rlhe door I being normally closed, ifit be opened for the insertion of a carrier the downward movement of therod L produced by the opening of the door will force downwardly thepiston-rod K', thereby opening the valve, lifting the receptacle, andmoving the piston outwardly in the branch tube D'. The air-pressure onthe valve and the piston due to the suction being equalized and thepiston being made to move inwardly as the valve opens outwardly orupwardly, it follows that the valve can be easily opened, or, in otherwords, there will be substantially no air-pressure on the valve tooperate against in opening the same. When the door is opened for theinsertion of a carrier, and the valve is thereby opened for the passageof the carrier past it in the manner described, one of the carriers willbe taken from the receptacle and inserted in the tube and the door Iclosed. The weight of the receptacle and the carriers which may betherein in the absence of the carrier sent to the cashiers station beinginsufficient to eiect the closing of the valve J, said valve will remainopen, and the air-current will continue to flow through both tubes C andD during the time that the carrier is passingfrom the salesmans stationto the cashiers station and is returning from the cashiers station tothe salesmans station and until said carrier has been received by thesalesman and again returned to the receptacle. As soon, however, as thecarrier is deposited in the receptacle its weight will overbalance theweight of the piston and its connected parts, the receptacle willdescend, and the valve J will be closed.

Obviously if several carriers be sent one after the other the valve Jwill remain open during the sending and returning of all of the carriersand until the last carrier sent has been returned and deposited in thereceptacle, it being understood, as before stated, that IOO IIO

the removal of one carrier only will permit the basket to rise and thevalve to open and that until all of the carriers belonging to thesalesmans station have been returned and deposited in the receptacle thelatter will remain in its elevated position, the valve J will remainopen, and the air will continue to flow through the conveyer-tube. Itfollows from the above that by the construction described a device isprovided by which the carriers may be transmitted in bot-h directionsbetween the cashiers and salesmans stations by the use of exhaust onlyand that the {iow of air through the tubes will continue only during thetime the carriers are in course of transmission from the salesmans tothe cashiers station, are returning therefrom, and are in use or arebeing handled at the salesmans and cashiers stations.

A speed-regulating device for the air compressor or blower is shown inthe drawings, which is constructed as follows: Q indicates a pipe whichleads from a valve-casing Q to the inlet or suction tube F. In thevalvecasing Q s located a diaphragm or piston which is connected with apiston-rod q, connected, by means of a lever q and link q2, with thethrottle-valve I-I of the engine or motor H. As the pressure is lessenedin the pipe F' or at the lower-pressure side of the blower thismechanism operates upon the throttle `valve in such manner as to causethe motor Vto stop or slacken its speed;` but when air is admitted tothe low-pressure side of the blower, as will occur when one of thevalves is opened, the motor will be started or the speed of the motorwill be automatically increased, so as to give an ample supply of air totransmit the carrier to its destination.

The speed-regulator applied to the low-pressure side of the regulator,as described, has the effect of increasing` the speed ot the compressorto give the required supply of air through the conveying-tubes of asystem proportionate to the number of stations in use at any one time,while affording a reduction of the quantity of air flowing through theconveying-tubes and a reduced speed in the motor which drives thecompressor at times when no stations are in use. It is preferred thatthe iowof air through the conveyingtubes in the system should notentirely cease, because this would result in the en tire cutting off ofthe supply of air to the inlet side of the blower, with the result ofproducing a more or less complete vacuum and through the action of theregulator a stoppage ofthe motor,which stoppage of the motor would behighly undesirable, because in the case of a steam or gas engine itcould not be automatically again started in action, and in the case ofan electric motor because of the loss of current through the stoppingand'starting of the same. I therefore prefer that all of thedespatching-stations in a large system should not be supplied withvalves like those illustrated and described, so that at one or more,butin any case a small percentage, of said despatching-stations a smallquantity of air may constantly enter the system, and a sulicient supplyof air will be afforded to'the inlet of the blower to prevent theformation of a vacuum sufcient to completely stop the motor through theact-ion of the speed-regulating device. It would of course hepracticable to limit the movement of the speed-regulating device, so asto prevent the motor from being stopped upon the' production of a moreor less complete vacuum in the system through the closing of all of theair-i nlets; but this would have the disadvantage that at suchtimes-namely, when all of the air-inlets were closed and no carrierswere being sent or transmittedmthe blower would be working against avacuum and an unnecessary amount of power would be required to keep itin motion. By omitting the valve at one or more of the inlet-openings inthe system or by providing for a slight leakage of air past the Valveswhen closed I am, however, enabled to secure the desired results'-namely, a large reduction in the flow of' air through the system and aminimum speed in the motor when all the carriers are in their properreceptacles at the salesmens stations.

The operation of the device as a whole may be summarized as follows:Under the act-ion of the fan a suction is produced in the pipe F' andtube F. The tube D is normally at low pressure, owing to the suction ofair at its end adjacent to the cashiers station and the fact that thevalve J is closed at the sales* mans station. Under these conditions theblower will be stopped or driven at its minimum speed. When, however,the valve J is opened, a current of air is induced through the pipe C,the connecting-pipe E, and the pipe D, the blower will be started inoperation or its speed increased, and the air will continue to dowthrough said pipes as long as the valve J remains open. As soon,however, as the return of all of the carriers to the salesmans stationenables the salesman to place all of them into the receptacle or basketM and the same is depressed the valve J will be closed, the air willcease to H ow through the conveying-tube, a partial vacuum will beestablished in the tube D, and through the action of the regulator thespeed of the engine will be again reduced to a minimum or the same willbe stopped.

In Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 I have shown a somewhat ditferent constructionin the devices at the dispatching end of the return-tuhe embodying thesame general features of construction hereinbefore described but dieringin certain details. In this instance the return-tube D is provided witha door O, which is without any connection with the other working partsof the device. A vertically-yielding receptacle P for the carriers isprovided, said receptacle being mounted on a vertically-movable rod P,which at its lower end is connected directly with a piston R, located ina branch tube D4. In this instance, howopened.

ever, the branch tube D4 is turned downwardly, so that the piston movesupward under the air-pressure tending to move itinwardly, and the rod Pis connected with said piston R by means of a piston-rod R and twoparallel rods R2 R2, Fig. 6, which extend at either side ofthe branchtube and are joined at their upper ends to the rod Pand at their lowerends to the piston-rod R. A valve J is provided, like that hereinbeforedescribed, the

same being provided with a valve-closure J', having actuating arms orlevel-sj', which have operative connection with the piston rod throughthe medium of a forked arm r on said rod, engaging said levers j', Fig.5. In this instance a spring S is employed to support the weight of thereceptacle P, said spring being made of such strength as to hold thesaid receptacle elevated except when all of the carriers belonging tothat salesmans station are placed therein. As shown in the drawings,said spring S is of spirally-coiled form and applied around the rod P'between the receptacle P and the supporting-surface below the same. Inthis form of construction when the carriers are all in the receptacle Pthe latter will be depressed, the piston R will be at the outward limitof its movement, and the valve will be closed. Upon removing one of thecarriers from the receptacle the latter will rise under the action ofthe supportingspring, the valve will open, and the piston at the sametime move upwardly or inwardly. The door O may then be opened and thecarrier inserted, when it will be transmitted to the cashiers station,as before described. It is of course necessary to close the door Obefore the carrier is inserted in the distributinglube C for its returnto the salesmans station.

It will be observed that in the device shown in Figs. l and 2 the valveat the despatching end of the return-tube is opened positively by theact of opening the despatching-door there located and that the saidvalve will be opened in the act of opening said door when all of thecarriers are in the yieldingly-supported receptacle, said receptaclebeing positively elevated or lifted when the valve is In theconstruction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, however, the movement of thedespatching-door has no effect upon the valve, so that it becomesnecessary to remove one of the carriers from the receptacle before thevalve will open and the parts are placed in condition for thetransmission of a carrier.

I claim as my inventionl. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus thecombination of a conveying-tube, means connected with the delivery endof said tube for reducing the pressure thereat, a valve at thedespatching end of said tube, and a movable receptacle connected withsaid valve by opera-tive means so constructed that the valve will beclosed when the receptacle is depressed and open when the receptacle iselevated.

2. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus, the combination of aconveying-tube, means connected with the delivery end of said tube forreducing the pressure thereat, a balanced valve at the despatching endof said tube, and a movable receptacle connected with said valve byoperative means so constructed that the valve will be closed when thereceptacle is depressed and open when the receptacle is elevated.

3. A pneumatic conveying apparatus comprising distributing and returntubes, a pipe connecting the despatching end of the returntube with thedelivery end of the distributing-tube, means connected with thedischarge end of the return-tube for reducing the pressure thereat, adespatching-door at the despatching end of the return-tube, a valve insaid return-tube inside of said door, and a receptacle for carriers atthe despatching end of the return tube, said receptacle being yieldinglysupported and connected with said valve by operative means soconstructed that the valve will be closed when the receptacle isdepressed and open when the receptacle is elevated.

4E. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus, the combination of aconveying-tube, means connected with the delivery end of said tube forreducing the pressure thereat, a valve at the despatching end of saidtube, an open branch tube connected with the'said conveying-tube insideof said valve, a piston in said branch tube, a connection between saidpiston and the said valve, whereby the piston is moved with the saidvalve, a yieldingly-supported receptacle for carriers, and operativeconnecting means between said receptacle and said valve so constructedthat the valve will be closed when the receptacle is depressed andopened when the receptacle is elevated.

5. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus, the combination of distributingand return tubes, a pipe connecting the despatching end of thereturn-tube with the delivery end of the distributing-tube, meansconnected with the delivery end of said return-tube for reducing thepressure thereat, a door at the despatching end of the return-tube, avalve in said re- Aturn-tube inside of the despatching-door, a

yieldingly-supported receptacle for carriers, operative connectionsbetween said receptacle and' said valve so constructed that the valvewill be closed when the receptacle is depressed and opened when thereceptacle is elevated, and a connection between said despatching-doorand valve whereby the opening of the door will open the valve.

6. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus, the combination of distributingand return tubes, a pipe connecting the despatching end of thereturn-tube with the delivery end of the dis- IIC tributing-tube, meansconnected with thedev livery end of said return-tube for reducing thepressure thereat, a despatching-door and a valve at the despatching endof said returntube, an open branch tube connected with said return-tube,a piston in said branch tube, a connection between said piston and thesaid valve, whereby the piston will be moved when the valve is opened, ayieldingly-supported receptacle for carriers, connected with said valveby operative means so constructed that the valve will be closed when thereceptacle is depressed and opened when the receptacle is elevated, anda connection between said despatching-d oor and valve whereby theopening of the door will open the valve. i

7. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus the combination of aconveying-tube, means connected with the delivery end of said tube forreducing the pressure thereat, a valve at the despatching end oi' saidtube, having a pivoted valve-closure, an open branch tube connected withsaid conveying-tube inside of said valve, a piston in the branch tube, apistonrod attached to said piston, said valveclosure having arigidly-attached crank-arm, and a connection between said piston-rod andsaid crank-arm whereby the piston will move with the valve.

8. In apneumatic conveying apparatus, the combination of aconveying-tube, means connected with the delivery end of said tube forreducing the pressure thereat, a valve at the despatching end of saidtube, an open branch tube connected with said conveying-tube, a pistonin said branch tube provided with a piston-rod, connections between saidpistonrod and the valve whereby the piston will move with the saidvalve, a movable receptacle for carriers, and avertically-movable rod lsupporting said receptacle and connected with said piston-rod byoperative means whereby said piston will bp moved, and the said valvewill be closed when the receptacle is depressed and will be opened whensaid receptacle is elevated.

9. In apneumatic conveying apparatus, the combination of distributingand return tubes, a pipe connecting the despatching end of thereturn-tube with the delivery end of the distributing-tube, meansconnected with the delivery end of said return-tube for reducing thepressure thereat, a door at the despatching end of the return-tube, avalve ,in said return-tube inside of said despatching-door, avertically-movable receptacle for carriers, an open branch tubeconnected with the returntube, apiston in said branch tube, said branchtube being .arranged vertically and the piston being vertically movable,a connection between said piston and said valve whereby the piston willbe moved with said valve, and operative connections between theverticallymovable receptacle, valve and piston, so constructed that thevalve will be closed when the receptacle is depressed and opened whenthe receptacle is elevated.

l0. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus, the combination of distributingand return tubes, a pipe connecting the despatching end of thereturn-tube with the delivery end of the distributing-tube, meansconnected with the delivery end of said return-tube for reducing thepressure thereat, a despatchingdoor at the despatching end of thereturntube, a valve in said return-tube inside of the despatching-door,a yieldingly-supported receptacle for carriers connected with said valveby operative means whereby the valve will be closed when said receptacleis depressed and open when said receptacle is elevated, and connectionsbetween the despatching-door and the valve-embracing parts having alimited sliding movement with respect to each other whereby the openingof the door will effect the opening of the valve, but the door may beclosed without closing the valve.

11. In a pneumatic conveying apparatus, the combination of aconveying-tube, means for producing a vacuum at the delivery end of saidtube, a motor, a valve at the despatching end ot' said tube, aspeed-regulating device operated by the pressure in the conveying-tubeand controlling the said motor, and means controlled by the weight ofthe carrier for closing said valve thereby operating thespeed-controlling device to lessen the speed of the motor when none ofsuch carriers is in use.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature, in presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of June, 95

MELVIN J. FOYER.. Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, CLEMENT R. STIOKNEY.

